


Mirrors Ch.1 - Everything Has Changed

by imnotevil13



Series: Mirrors [2]
Category: Top Gear (UK) RPF
Genre: Air Force, F/M, Friendship, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Minor Character Death, Romance, Songfic, Traumatic Main Character
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-11-13
Updated: 2014-11-13
Packaged: 2018-02-25 05:27:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,639
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2610170
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/imnotevil13/pseuds/imnotevil13
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>I just wanna know you better, know you better<br/>Know you better now.<br/>[Taylor Swift – Everything has Changed ft. Ed Sheeran]</p>
            </blockquote>





	Mirrors Ch.1 - Everything Has Changed

**Author's Note:**

> This story is a prequel of the 'Daylight'. This story happen, let's say, at least a year or so before the 'Daylight'. There will be eleven chapter for this story but I chose to upload it one by one 'cause every chapter has their own title. I hope you will like it. Happy reading and love you all. *wink
> 
> Translated to 中文 by [UshioK](http://archiveofourown.org/users/ushioK) on [here](http://blog.udn.com/STtoME/19978938).

“Look, I know I’m terrible when it comes to emotions. But, you’re the one who choose me in first place.”

A loud slap was the answer.

“You! How could you said that to me!? I’m your girlfriend, idiot!” Her boyfriend kept his silent, but when he tried to speak once more he’s interrupted by another shout. “Stop telling me about your opinion. You’re right, I’m the one who choose you and now I’m fucking regret it. Let’s broke up.”

“All right.” Of course that completely made his girlfriend silent abruptly and glared him with her huge watery eyes in disbelieve. “What? You said that, so what the hell – “

“Stop it James.” She raised both of her hand. Her sob now changed into a bitter laugh as she said, “You didn’t love me, right? You never loved me from the first. In fact, I doubt you ever loved someone before.”

And bulls eye she was right.

James was a person who never fall in love, ever. He’s dating someone just because of two reasons: first, they asked him and he found they’re easy to talk to. And second, because Jeremy told him so.

Right, Jeremy. James’ first friend when he came into this college.

Jeremy was the one who always asked James who’s he fall in love with. But because James May never felt that sort of thing he just said ‘I don’t know’. Since that, when some girl asked James to go out, Jeremy will kept pushing him to accepted them. In that case, in Jeremy’s point of view, James will be able to learn what love is.

Well, that’s his real reason. But after found out that James’ relationship will always ended up in tears – girl’s, not James’ – and maybe, some slap like this one, Jeremy’s reason has become more slightly swerve.

“I’m sorry.”

Another slap.

**

A huge, loud and never-ending laugh attacking James’ ears as soon as he met up with his coleage. He didn’t need to told him, Jeremy knew everything, in fact he saw everything.

“That’s not funny, Clarkson.” James sat in front of him, rubbing his throbbing cheek with some icy beer.

“Okay, sorry. But – “ he laugh, “But, how could possible your relationship always ended up like that, I mean, all of your relationship, James!”

“Oh shut up. You know I’m not that kind of relationship-man.” He gulped his beer, “But you keep pushing me into that girls. Who’s fault is that.”

Jeremy laughed again and shake his head in defeat. “They are all sweet James, and some speak in ancient language like you do. Why don’t you just hold them?”

“Listen Jeremy, though you’re a ladies-man doesn’t mean that everyone else exactly like you. I’m crap about feeling, I’m crap about relationship. Maybe I’ll never had one in my life.”

“Aw James..., don’t say things like that. You just couldn’t find the right one yet.”

“You’re being nice to me.”

A smug came across Jeremy’s face, “Oh maybe because I love you mate.”

“Then I’m sorry about Francie.”

That made this two blokes laugh. Jeremy’s beer shaking lightly on his hand while James gulped out all of his beer. Usually these two will spent their time driving along with no direct destination or just visiting each other during their summer holiday. And sometimes Jeremy would brought Francie along with them, his dearest fiancé. But now, it’s seems a little bit different.

Jeremy has told James that he’ll invite them on his family villa in Isle of Man. But it’s not just the three of them, because Jezza has invited his old friend too.

He said that this man was four years beneath him, that’s mean that he’s three years below James. And he’ll move to London but not for attending in a same college as this J2. That remind James to asked his mate a simple question.

“When will we go?”

“What? Oh, o yeah, sorry took time. Err.., the day after tomorrow if you don’t mind.”

“Yeah sure, no problem.” May leant on his chair and asked again, “Is he coming today?”

“Tomorrow morning to be exact.”

James murmured a little ‘ah’ and glared on his watch, and as if as Jezza know that meaning they’re stood and wave goodbye. But before both of them could jumped in their car, James called his mate once again.

“Beside, they are all also clingly and noisy.”

“What? Who?” Jeremy laughed after realizing his meaning.

**

The first thing that came into James’ mind when he woke up this morning was his appointment with Jeremy. He turn his head to watched his clock-wall and groaned. Great, thirty minutes left before Jezza pick him up.

“Cock.”

He did his best to be prepared for his vacation and silently thanked God for letting him packed the night before, and thanked Him again because he was born to be a man. Woman just eat up their time for nothing.

And just after he had done, a sound from Clarkson’s vehicle could be heard from his living-room, followed by a horn. James jumped from his chair, grabbed his only bag, shouting a goodbye for his mother and went outside.

The first he spotted from Jeremy’s Land Rover – must be his father’s – was Francie. Still with her beauty smile she waved at James then talking with someone from the back seat who will be the second one James would notice.

And my God he’s gorgeous.

It doesn’t mean that James never saw a handsome people before, that doesn’t count Jeremy on list of course. But seeing this man making a butterfly flutter on his stomach. He sat beside that man on that Rover and greeted with a small hello.

“James this is Richard and Richard this is James,” said Jeremy, who changed his gear and started to drive again.

“Hi, I’m Richard Hammond, nice to met you.”

James reply his simple shake hand and praying his palm was not all too sweaty or too cold because of his nervousness, “James May.”

“Oh my,” Francie turned her head to watch these two, “Somehow I get a feeling that you two will get along well.”

# # #

James opened his eyes, awake from his day-dream about his past when the first time he met Richard, and the scenery he saw from his seat on that bus began more and more familiar with him. Many thing has changed after that time. Well, Jeremy still continuing his study as a doctor and had become one right now, God bless his patient. Francie was still with him, God bless her too, and now she’s his wife. Richard has become a successful vineyard owner, just like what his and his late parents’ dream.

But for James, everything is not as well as he hope.

It’s began in the day he arrived from his college, well maybe just a couple of years after his trip with his coleages, and found his mother crying softly on their living-room. He spotted some of his father’s friends at there, and some of them hugged him or just patted his shoulder with something on their expression. It was his mother who hugged him tightly and told him everything.

Her beloved husband, James marvelous father, a great Britannia soldier has been killed during his duty. His body will be arrived two days from now.

That big slap in James’s life has changed his entire history.

Mrs.May is a tough woman, everyone know that. But deep inside her heart, her soul was dead. Just a month after that incident she following her husband. Leaving alone her dearest son, James May, with all of her and her husband’s legacy. Since that time, James dropped out from his college and joined British Royal Air Force. Following his father’s step to become a great soldier.

James remember the first week his life became upside down after his mother’s death, too much shout, liquor, frustration. He remembered shouting at Jeremy when the three of them talked together, him, Jeremy, and Richard. And more of that, he still could remember their face when he still at the edge of his rage.

Shock, unsure, guilty sweep over Jeremy’s grin and easy face. But it’s became worse for Richard, he stared James with his huge brown eyes which silently screaming fear from there. He hurt Jeremy’s heart and he scared Richard out of hell. Perfect.

**

A watch on James’ wrist said it’s already nine in the evening. He stepped into his familiar garden and unlocked his front door. And the second thing that came into him is a breathtaking hug from Francie.

“Jaaaaames!!! I miss you dear.”

“Oh dear, please let him go,” a voice of Jeremy came along behind her with a hint of laugh as he turned on James’ corridor’s lamp and walked approaching them, “You’ll killed our dearest Captain.”

Thanks for that, with a little ‘sorry’ and ‘hello there’ Francie letting James go and stepped back, moved behind Jeremy who hug him brotherly.

“Nice to have you back, mate.”

“Yeah, it’s nice for being home.” After Jeremy release him, Francie took off James’ coat and get in first. He walked along with Jeremy following Francie – who now begin turning on all of James’ house – from behind still talking. “Why are you in here? I meant, I didn’t mind that, but you’re not –“

“Oh believe me I’m not. It’s neither me, nor Francie. Sadly we didn’t told him that you has come.” Then a loud thud which came closer and closer made them stop in the middle, “Yet.”

“James!” It was Richard, with his grin on his face and his famous big round and brown eyes, ran from his place and almost tackle both James and him down on the ground when he hugged him.

“Bloddy hell, Rich – !” James surprised but laugh and returning his embrace. They parted not long after that, before Richard insisted to bring James’ bag for him.

“He’s the man who took this responsibility.” They walked again into James’ living-room, “After knowing that you’ll came home today I cannot stop him from moaning about his dearest Captain arrival. He said ‘when will he came?’, ‘what time?’, ‘we must make a surprised party for him’ and many more.”

James laughed at that while Richard just getting more and more embarrassing. He murmured ‘stop it Jeremy or I’ll stab you’ when James declare his opinion.

“Well, maybe he’s just being a nice friend.”

“Thanks James.”

“I’m sorry for barely answer your text.”

They watched at each other and sharing a same small smile, “It’s okay.”

**

A bit later on, maybe two and a half hours after James has arrived then talked to his two old mates on his living-room, Francie told them that they must leave and ended up this not-so-called party. Since James has just arrived from his long journey, he must be tired and need his time alone.

She hugged James once more then clinging into his husband’s arm, Richard was the last one to say goodbye to James. He stood in front of James’ door, shifting from one leg to another with an uneasy face as the owner of this house was still standing in front of him, wave goodbye at Mr. And Mrs.Clarkson.

“What’s the matter, Hammond?”

“No, nothing, it’s just,” he scratch his neck, “It’s just, the last time I said goodbye to you, I never saw you again for..., I don’t know, many years has passed after that time, and. And I’m kind of traumatized because of that.”

“It’s quiet a long time through. Yes.” James leant on his door-frame, “I’m sorry for causing you such a problem.” He’s got an ‘It’s okay’ from his mate, “But I’m not going anywhere anymore. Well, just for a while, not forever.”

“Then, when will you leaved again?”

“I don’t know, maybe in five or six months from now.”

“It’s not a long time.”

“Yes, it is.” They stand in silent for a couple of minutes before James broke the air, “Listen Hammond, like I’ve said before, I’m not going anywhere. It’s okay. It doesn’t mean that when you said goodbye right now I’ll just vanish from this world. I’m still right here.”

The only thing Richard do for answering James was a simple sigh. But without he even realize, that was enough to made James gulped in guilty and silently cursing himself. Richard decide to turn over and walk off James’ house saying goodbye, but that was all gone when James grab his shoulder and eye-leveling him.

With his pleading face, that soldier began to say, “Hey, I’m sorry mate. I really am sorry, okay? I’m sorry if I hurt your feeling, I didn’t mean that. Hey, listen, watch me. If you really that afraid you can text me when you’re home if you want, or called me, as you wish. And you could come here again tomorrow. I didn’t mind that.”

Gotcha.

That sentence made Richard’s face lighten up again. He laughed nervously and saying, “I, err..., thanks mate. It’s good to have you again, really.” A smile for his mate, then, “Welcome home,” he said as he hugged James for a goodbye before running to his vehicle which he has parked not far from James’ house. “I’ll see you tomorrow!”

Just like what he did at Clarkson's couple, James wave goodbye to Richard then went inside. But James didn’t choose to sleep, instead he back on his living room and sat beside his fireplace. With a glass of wine which stood proudly to accompany him at the top of small table, his blue eyes watching the fire dancing and eating those lumber, skin by skin, until it’s just leaved a dust and burning smell from there as he run his mind around his thought.

The only thing that made his mind so complicated was Richard Hammond.

James didn’t know, in fact he didn’t completely understand about his feeling towards that man. His coleage, the one that he met when he was still study medic, an owner of a famous vineyard. The first time they met, James thought that he’s gorgeous, it’s not a normal thought from a man to another man, he knew that.

But before his life has changed that much, he has passed every single day just for fulfill his desire: knowing Richard better and better. And every act that Richard made for him, sometimes made him felt more special than the others, than Richard’s another friends, like Jeremy for example. A small act just like this evening.

And he liked it. James likes it.

There’s a smile on his face. But suddenly it disappears after James feeling so ashamed because of his stupid smile for no reason. He ever heard it, from Francie, that that sort of thing will come into someone who fall in love.

Is he?

A buzzing phone made James back into reality. He opened it and found one new message at there. From Richard. It says:

 _‘At home at last. Are you still there?’_ -RH

James glared at his watch, it’s already forty minutes after Richard went home. Time can run so fast without you noticing. He replied:

 _‘Glad to hear that and yes I’m still right here.’_ -JM

 _‘Good, thanks for letting me text you.’_ -RH

 _‘No problem mate, it’s for your own good though.’_ -JM

 _‘You’re right. Well, goodnight then.’_ -RH

James answered him with a simple goodnight text, then he rose up from his chair. A quick shower in the middle of the night maybe could help him releasing all of his tiredness.

Then just a second before James could drown into his slumber, his phone buzzing again.

 _‘Sorry to bother, I’m kind of miss you. No need to reply, goodnight mate.’_ -RH

So, is it true that James May is officially falling in love right now?

Yes, yes he is.


End file.
